<p>So I'm trying to raise my critical reading score.. somebody please help. I've read some threads in here but the books seem to be old.. any help?? recommend books please!</p>
<p>The Critical Reader by Meltzer</p>
<p>e: personal note- getting over 750 on most of my tests now using this book and vocab studying (which this book also helps with). </p>
<p>Thanks!! Any other opinions??</p>
<p>You shouldn’t use a book to improve critical reading. Just memorize vocab words. If you do that, you will better understand the passage and the questions and their answers. If you understood everything perfectly, it would be really easy. I got a 780 and it was all because I memorized around 3,000 words. The section was so easy after that. I never read high level books.</p>
<p>Also, as far as strategy, you shouldn’t need a book for that. Do what everyone does - underline the text and answer questions as you read. You’ll finish ahead of time and answer each question in context. I mean, crit reading is not a struggle so long as you perfectly understand each part of the section - passage, questions, answers. All that takes is vocab.</p>
<p>What did you use to study those 3000 words? Were they all in a single study guide?</p>
<p>Edit: never mind, just saw your other thread which answers my question.</p>
<p>The best way to improve the critical reading score is to practice. And practice. And practice. Sentence completion is simple and easy to improve. For me, the passages were what really brought my score down. Find the strategy that works for you (one that is the most time-efficient and effective in answering each question correctly). I raised my score from a consistent 630 to close to perfect (actually got 800 repeatedly on practice exams). I tried many, many strategies from many practice books, but Noitaraperp’s (<a href=“How to Attack the SAT Critical Reading Section Effectively - SAT Preparation - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/750399-how-to-attack-the-sat-critical-reading-section-effectively.html</a>) was the one that finally worked well for me, and fast. </p>
<p>Remember to simulate the real thing: time yourself! Be in testing mode. Also, I wouldn’t use Gruber’s for CR (it’s good for math though). From experience, Princeton Review (other than the Blue Book) was closest to the real thing (at least its book of practice exams). </p>
<p>Basically, the only things I used for everything were practice exams. I must have wasted 2304982304983 pages to print past exams I’d find on the internet. The basic concepts for each section are simple and easy to get. The rest is just practice.</p>
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<p>This may have worked for the person who posted it, but its a terrible approach for the general population. First, most people cannot memorize 3,000 words. Next, often secondary or even tertiary definitions are tested so memorizing the primary definition often won’t help even if the specific word is on the test. Finally, most people need to get familiar with the test regardless of their vocab. Most people would get many CR questions wrong even if they could use a dictionary. Its more important, and definitely more efficient, to get familiarity with how questions are asked and what type of answers are usually correct. </p>
<p>The post above describes a much better approach - for the typical student - than memorizing long lists of words. One slight disagreement is that I think the Critical Reader is a much better resource than Grubers or PR for CR.</p>
<p>I know @CHD2013 … I don’t think, it’s a really effective way… I got the Barron’s in the beginning and wanted to study their big list … But then I gave up… I usually get like 3 or 2 vocab questions wrong so i don’t think it’s worth studying big lists… But as you said the passages are the ones important more than the vocabulary!</p>
<p>I really liked Erica Meltzer’s Writing book so I might get her critical reading book. I got a 690 on the College Board practice reading so i would like that to be 750 when I take a practice test again this weekend.</p>
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<p>Yes, everyone with normal cognitive ability can memorize 3000 words. And yes, it’s the easiest/fastest way to go from 300s or 400s into the 600s (or from 500s to 700s!). It sucks, it’s soul-crushing, in many ways it’s a waste of time, but it is pretty much foolproof.</p>
<p>^^You say its foolproof. I’ve heard from many people, including on these forums, that memorizing a vocabulary word doesn’t guarantee a correct answer even when that word appears in sentence completion problems and that its even less valuable in passage based questions.</p>
<p>I actually attempted to memorize 3000 words one summer. I never actually accomplished it. But I gained bits and pieces of new knowledge (I probably remembered ~1000 words), and that was apparently enough. However, I still think the most important part of studying for the CR section is what I described in my previous post.</p>
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<p>Of course it doesn’t guarantee anything on any single question. That said, over 12 years of full time prep teaching and thousands of students (including hundreds of CR 800 scorers), I have learned from experience (and copious data) that vocab memorization is the surest way to get big results fast. Nothing guarantees an 800, but no other method is as simple and foolproof as memorization. You don’t have to believe me (obviously, since you share neither my experiences nor my data), but my opinion on this isn’t half-baked or knee-jerk; in fact, I’ve come to this conclusion only grudgingly! After all, who wants “memorize vocab” to be an important part of a teenager’s vacation plan? Not this guy.</p>
<p>You’re right … Vocab is a really important part, although studying for it is so boring… But at the same time we should advice those people who are planning to memorize vocab not to memorize thousands of words at the last moment because it won’t work and when studying them they should take their time and learn them as they read or even by putting them into examples, knowing the position of each word in a sentence…</p>
<p>Sure. It takes a month or so of very diligent study to learn 3000 words well. Ideally, kids will start reading enthusiastically from a young age; then they probably won’t even need to study vocab at all. Worked for me, at least. Sadly, very few students have time machines, and many, many students need significant CR gains in a very short time (a vacation or two, for instance). But yeah, memorizing vocab is mad boring. Snoozeville.</p>
<p>^^Sorry, I’m calling BS on that. If you learned 3,000 words in one month you have an extremely unusual mind. Whether its true for you or not, I suggest other readers should adjust their expectations; do not expect anywhere near that number.</p>